7 Potential Health Benefits of Butternut Squash
Diet & NutritionFood & Ingredients

7 Potential Health Benefits of Butternut Squash

7 Potential Health Benefits of Butternut Squash
Violeta Pasat/Stocksy
By
Updated on April 21, 2026
by
Add us on Google
Technically a fruit but often treated as a vegetable, butternut squash is easily recognizable for its crooked, oblong shape — which is why it’s sometimes referred to as crookneck squash.

 It’s bright orange like pumpkin and sweet potato, and it kind of tastes like them, too. Butternut squash has a mild but nutty flavor with a slight sweetness, so it can be used in sweet and savory recipes.

A vibrant look and a delightful flavor aren’t the only features that make butternut squash a hit in the kitchen: This fruit also has an impressive nutritional profile. “Butternut squash is low in calories yet dense in nutrients like potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A,” says Jamie Lee McIntyre, RDN, who offers nutrition counseling and is based on the East Coast. “Butternut squash can be julienned, spiralized, cubed, and mashed, making it versatile in dishes like soups, pilafs, salads, sides, pasta, and more.” Or you can roast chopped butternut squash on a sheet pan in the oven for a hearty side dish.

Butternut squash is in season during the fall and winter months, which is why it’s a winter squash, but canned and frozen varieties are typically available year-round. It’s no wonder registered dietitians are fans of butternut squash: It’s pleasant to eat, rich in nutrients, and full of potential health benefits. Here are seven to consider.

1. Butternut Squash May Help Lower Blood Pressure

You’ve probably heard that bananas are a rich source of potassium, but they’re not your only option. Butternut squash packs a good amount of potassium, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

 This nutrient is key to a heart-healthy diet, especially if lowering blood pressure is one of your health goals.
Nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 Because high blood pressure could damage your heart and increase your risk of heart disease, don’t ignore your numbers if they’re outside the healthy range.
One contributor to high blood pressure is a high-sodium diet. Sodium (salt) is common in processed foods like crackers, potato chips, and cookies to make them more palatable.

 In the case of high blood pressure, an electrolyte in sodium causes blood vessels to constrict over time.
The good news is that eating potassium-rich foods can help relax these constricted blood vessels. Research has demonstrated that eating more potassium-rich foods has blood pressure-lowering effects and can improve certain risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Cooked butternut squash provides a good amount of potassium, says Jenna Volpe, RDN, who provides integrative and functional nutrition coaching and is based in Austin, Texas. You get about 12 percent of your daily potassium needs from 1 cup of cooked squash.

 “Eating butternut squash on a regular basis (a few times a week) could help to significantly boost potassium in the diet, naturally supporting more-balanced blood pressure.”

2. Butternut Squash May Play a Role in Preventing Eye Diseases

Butternut squash has a bright orange hue you can’t miss, and it’s all thanks to the presence of beta-carotene. In your body, this nutrient, a type of carotenoid, becomes vitamin A.

 The pigment of beta-carotene not only gives the fruit its color, but also acts as a source of antioxidants. These plant-based compounds help fend off free radicals to prevent damage and disease.

In many ways, beta-carotene is also excellent for your eyes. “Carotenoids found in orange fruits and vegetables, like beta-carotene in butternut squash, help promote eye and vision health and assist in preventing eye-related diseases,” says McIntyre.

Consuming beta-carotene, along with other nutrients, has protective effects against degenerative eye diseases, particularly macular degeneration.

 Researchers also found that the antioxidant helps protect the body against inflammation, an infamous marker of disease risk.
Illustrative graphic titled Potential Health Benefits of Butternut Squash shows Packed with gut-healthy fiber, Supports eye health, May boost your immune system, Could help lower blood pressure. Everyday Health logo
Everyday Health

3. Butternut Squash Is Rich in Gut-Friendly Fiber

Meeting your nutritional needs isn’t always an easy feat. But if there’s one nutrient that Americans aren’t giving enough attention to, it’s fiber. In fact, it’s estimated that less than 10 percent of women and only 3 percent of men get enough fiber each day.

According to the National Academy of Medicine, women should aim to get 21 to 25 grams (g) of fiber a day and men should try to get 30 to 38 g, depending on age.

 To get more roughage in your diet, you could eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
With almost 7 g of fiber per cooked cup, a serving of butternut squash can make a significant contribution toward your daily fiber needs.

 This has a variety of potential health benefits related to heart health, gut motility, and blood sugar levels, says McIntyre.

“The fiber in butternut squash helps remove ‘bad’ cholesterol from the blood and adds bulk to stool, making it easier to digest,” Volpe says. “Fiber also helps reduce the glycemic index of a meal, serving to regulate blood sugar after eating. This encourages sustained energy levels because it prevents a quick spike and crash in blood sugar and insulin levels.”

Next up video playing in 10 seconds

7 Health Benefits of Vitamin C

Learn why vitamin C is essential.

4. Butternut Squash Can Support a Healthy Immune System

Although it’s certainly potent, beta-carotene isn’t the only antioxidant in butternut squash. It’s also a rich source of vitamins A, C, and E. These nutrients collectively lend a helping hand to your immune system and its ability to fight off outside invaders.

“Butternut squash is loaded with antioxidants — specifically vitamins A and C, as well as beta-carotene,” McIntyre says. “These antioxidants fight free radical damage in the body and support the immune system.”

During cold and flu season, you might reach for vitamin C–rich foods like oranges and strawberries, and now you can add butternut squash to the list. There’s a reason why vitamin C is known as the immune-boosting vitamin: Without enough, your body can have a weaker immune system and be at greater risk of infection.

5. Butternut Squash Is a Good Source of Antioxidants

Antioxidants are substances that prevent or delay cell damage.

 Examples include beta-carotene, lutein, and vitamins A, C, and E, all of which are present in butternut squash. You can make antioxidant-rich foods like butternut squash a staple in your diet to help support your health in many ways.
Beta-carotene, one of the antioxidants in butternut squash, supports your body’s ability to ward off disease. Specifically, its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties give it a lot of disease-preventing potential, particularly against certain types of cancer, heart-related problems, and other diseases, according to one review from India.

“Diets rich in antioxidants like beta-carotene may help enhance our natural immune response and reduce the incidence of certain types of cancer, due to their tendency to reduce cell oxidation,” says Volpe.

While taking in antioxidants isn’t considered a method of primary cancer prevention, research suggests that they may be helpful in preventing free radical damage that is linked with the development of certain cancers.

Antioxidants are beneficial for more than immune health and disease prevention; they’re also good for your skin. “Beta-carotene helps maintain healthy skin, in that its antioxidant properties help combat oxidation (cell damage from free radicals, which is a primary cause of aging) at the cellular level,” Volpe explains.

6. Butternut Squash May Have Beneficial Effects on Diabetes Treatment and Prevention

Food provides a nice joyride for your taste buds, but its purpose goes beyond that. When you eat, your body converts food into energy as it breaks down carbs into sugar. For many of us, blood sugar levels aren’t something that need to be strictly monitored, but that isn’t the case for people with diabetes. About 1 in 8 Americans has diabetes, and according to the CDC, more than 1 in 4 adults don’t know they have this long-term (chronic) condition.

No cure for type 2 diabetes exists, but it’s possible to prevent or put this disease in remission to some degree. One way to do it is by making healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating a well-balanced diet. That’s where butternut squash comes in. It has some anti-diabetes properties, research out of Mexico suggests.

There’s a misconception that carbohydrates like butternut squash aren’t recommended for those with diabetes. But eating certain carbs is actually encouraged in moderation and as part of a broader diabetes-friendly diet. According to the American Diabetes Association, it's ideal to fill one-quarter of your plate with quality carbohydrate-containing foods, such as fruits and starchy vegetables — and butternut squash certainly makes the cut.

7. Butternut Squash Can Help You Maintain a Healthy Weight

When it comes to weight loss, improving your health outcomes is a pretty good motivator. People who have overweight or obesity are at greater risk of health complications like type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, hypertension, and more.

 Reaching and staying at a healthy weight can start with what’s on your plate.
“Fiber- and nutrient-rich foods like butternut squash contribute to weight management and hunger control, as you’re able to fill up on volume for a low cost of calories,” says McIntyre. Butternut squash is low in calories and fat yet is rich in fiber and essential nutrients. The fiber helps you stay fuller for longer, but it also promotes weight loss.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Cucurbita moschata. NC State University Cooperative Extension.
  2. Squash, Winter, Butternut, Cooked, Baked, Without Salt. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
  3. High Blood Pressure Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 28, 2025.
  4. Nutrition Facts Label and Your Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 11, 2025.
  5. Muiesan ML et al. Less Sodium and More Potassium to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk. European Heart Journal Supplements: Journal of the European Society of Cardiology. April 21, 2023.
  6. 11 Foods Full of Beta-Carotene and Their Health Benefits. Cleveland Clinic. October 18, 2023.
  7. García-Montalvo IA et al. Inclusion of Carotenoids in Dietary Habits as an Alternative to Prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Frontiers in Nutrition. January 9, 2023.
  8. Fiber’s Cultural Moment Exposes America’s Whole Grain Problem. International Food Information Council. February 3, 2026.
  9. Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet. Mayo Clinic. December 23, 2025.
  10. Dietary Supplements for Immune Function and Infectious Diseases. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. March 10, 2025.
  11. Antioxidants. MedlinePlus. November 18, 2025.
  12. Anand R et al. Disease Prevention and Treatment Using β-Carotene: The Ultimate Provitamin A. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia. May 30, 2022.
  13. Schmidt S et al. Effects of Antioxidants on Cancer Progression. EMBO Molecular Medicine. July 11, 2025.
  14. A U.S. Report Card. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 16, 2026.
  15. Moreno-Quiroga G et al. Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Cucurbita ficifolia Fruits, an Underrated Fruit. Frontiers in Nutrition. January 11, 2023.
  16. Tips for Eating Well. American Diabetes Association.
  17. Health Risks of Overweight & Obesity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. May 2023.
  18. High-Fiber Foods. MedlinePlus. July 24, 2024.
Meet Our Experts
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network
Lynn Griger photo

Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES

Medical Reviewer

Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She comp...

See full bio
Lacey-Muinos-bio

Lacey Muinos

Author
Lacey Muinos is a California-based writer specializing in nutrition, health, wellness, and skin. She received a bachelor's degree in English from California State Polytechnic Unive...
See full bio
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network